Halloween by the numbers
With Halloween just three weeks away, people across the country are designing costumes, decorating their homes, and buying candy. But just how much candy does the average person buy? Who prefers chocolate in their bag? And are all those kids who trick-or-treat in Batman costumes part of a trend?
To find the answers to these questions and many others, 麻豆原创 gathered data from around the web on the numbers of Halloween. WalletHub, Influenster, the National Retail Federation, and America Haunts provided information on consumer spending, trick-or-treating habits, and safety discussions. Altogether, this data shows how Americans celebrate the spooky holiday.
So, how much money do haunted houses make? What are the Halloween world records? Which candies are the most popular in every state in America? Read on to find out. We begin with a billion-dollar figure that shows just how much money the "Hallows' Eve" holiday generates.
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Record year
Halloween 2018 is expected to be one for the record books. Spending this holiday is estimated to reach at least $9 billion, the second-highest mark in the past 14 years, according to the . Halloween 2017 holds the current record, with $9.1 billion spent.
The costumed young
While adults maintain a love for designing costumes and gathering for the holiday, the kid population is really the one making the most out of Halloween. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are an estimated 41.1 million children between ages 5 and 14 who could be out trick-or-treating this year.
Pumpkin land
Across the United States, 40,900 acres of pumpkins were harvested in 2015, according to the . Illinois is the top producer of pumpkins in the country.
Favorite candy
Influenster to determine each state鈥檚 favorite Halloween candy. Only three kinds showed up among the top choices of each state: Reese鈥檚 Peanut Butter Cup, Kit Kat, and Butterfinger.
An old holiday
Halloween originates from a pagan festival that's more than 2,000 years old. The festival, called , was first celebrated by Celtic people.
The cost of costumes
Prizes, or at least pride, often go to the most creative costumes. In pursuit of that trophy, consumers are expected to spend $3.2 billion on ready-made costumes and costume-making supplies this year, according to the .
The inspiration well
According to the , 35% of celebrants will look for costume inspiration online. Another 30% look for ideas in a store, and 20% turn to friends or family.
Early buyers
Some devotees to the holiday dive into the Halloween spirit well before the seasons change. According to the consumer guide , 6% of the Halloween-celebrating population will make their purchases before the month of September.
Haunted attractions
There are more than 1,200 haunted-theme attractions across the country that charge admission. Charity organizations operate another 3,000 attractions, according to .
Gathering of skeletons
The largest gathering of skeleton-costumed people occured at Swansea University in the United Kingdom. According to , 2,018 people gathered for the event.
Celebrating, no matter what
People love Halloween enough that a bad economy will not dissuade them from celebrating. The reports that only 13% of people say their Halloween spending is affected by the economy, down from 32% in 2011.
Doorbells rung
With millions of children celebrating Halloween, there will inevitably be a lot of door-knocking and bell-ringing. According to the , there are a potential 120 million trick-or-treat stops for Halloween.
Cost per person
In 2017, 179 million Americans celebrated Halloween. In total, the average celebrant spent $86.13鈥攁 new record, according to .
The age gap
The different generations have different ideas of what makes a good costume or, at least, how much to spend on a costume. According to a , millennials spends $66 on a costume, compared to $25 for Generation X and $3 for Baby Boomers.
The candy haul
More than just getting a certain kind of candy, trick-or-treating is about getting the most candy. According to , 72% of households give out two or three pieces of candy to each trick-or-treater.
The first Halloween?
The first written record of trick-or-treating occurred in Canada. The record, from Blackie, Alberta, .
The safety talk
Around a third of parents talk to their children about trick-or-treating safety before Halloween. Around three-quarters of parents have Halloween-related fears, according to .
The candy market
Trick-or-treaters are in for a treat this year. According to the , consumers are expected to spend $2.6 billion this year on candy.
Half prefer chocolate, half favor 'other'
Half of trick-or-treaters prefer chocolate. According to , 50% of kids want chocolate and 24% prefer another kind of candy.
Scary movie money
A signal of the coming Halloween season is the release of horror movies. Since 1995, the movie industry has produced 543 horror movies for a total revenue of more than $10.5 billion, according to .
Spooky reads
The horror movie industry may generate scares, but the horror book genre is also a major supplier of spooky stories. Author R.L. Stine has as part of the famous 鈥淕oosebumps鈥 series.
The great pumpkin
The largest jack-o-lantern in history weighed a total of 1,810.5 pounds. Scott Cully cut the masterpiece in 2010, according to .
Popular children's costumes
According to the , princesses and superheroes are the most popular costumes for children: 7.6% of children will dress as princesses and 4.9% as superheroes. The third-most popular costume among kids, with 4.3%, is Batman.
Popular adult costumes
According to the , witches and vampires are the most popular costume choices for adults.: 10.7% of adults will dress as witches and 3.7% as vampires. The third-most popular costume among adults is a zombie.
An expensive experience
at Universal Studios offers haunted houses, film screenings, and "scare zones." However, gate admission to the Florida event is a steep $114.99.
How to celebrate
According to the , 70% of people celebrating Halloween plan to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters. Half of those people will decorate their homes, and about a third will throw a party.
The Amazon effect
Amazon is now expanding into the Halloween candy distribution business. According to , consumers spent about $13 million on candy through Amazon in 2017.
Sneaky snacking
More than half of parents admit to eating their children鈥檚 Halloween candy. According to , 62% of parents say they snack on their children鈥檚 holiday sweets.
Pets in costumes
In 2017, 16% of Halloween celebrants dressed up their pet. That number is expected to rise to 20% in 2018, according to the . The most popular pet costume is a pumpkin.
Haunting sales
The "haunted industry" generates almost $500 million in ticket sales each year, according to . This revenue is split between haunted attractions and amusement parks with Halloween themes.